Basheer Jones, a poet, motivational speaker, radio host and activist, will keynote Northwest Indiana’s third annual Mentor Summit, scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 27 at the Library Conference Center at Indiana University Northwest.

The summit offers organizers of youth mentoring programs, and adults interested in mentoring youth, information about creating effective and sustainable mentoring opportunities. Registration is $25 per person, including lunch. Registration at the door is $35. The Mentor Summit is produced by the Center for Mentors co-op members and is held each January during National Mentoring Month.

At 27, Jones has achieved a reputation as an engaging and inspiring leader. He hails from Cleveland, Ohio, by way of Brooklyn, N.Y. He credits the influence of a mentoring program during high school, and its leader who became a “father figure” to him, with much of his inspiration to pursue his dreams. He went on to graduate from Morehouse College with honors, is an acclaimed spoken word artist, Essence Award winner, was the youngest news talk radio host in the country, and founded The Basheer Jones Foundation. He was a leader of youth voter registration efforts and community rallies during the 2008 presidential election.

“Like Basheer, most successful adults can point to at least one person who influenced their lives when they were younger,” said Harry J. Vande Velde III, president and chief executive officer of Legacy Foundation. “Mentoring can improve a child’s educational experience as well as opportunities for the future. We have terrific resources in Northwest Indiana to create and support a variety of mentoring programs, and this summit gives the business and non-profit communities tools to further those resources.”

Breakout sessions during the Mentor Summit will include:

Elements of effective practice, facilitated by Cindy Borden, a trainer, facilitator and technical assistance provider with more than 15 years of experience in youth development.

Building quality mentoring relationships based on best practices, facilitated by Dr. Clara Giles Carter, Ed.D., president of Management Consultant Services, a human resource management firm that has provided technical assistance in building and maintaining collaborations directed to community outreach in preparing youth for the future workforce.

Attendees also will participate in a session on outcome evaluation, or tools for evaluating mentoring programs, presented by Candice Singleton of the Indiana Youth Institute.

For more information and to register for the Mentor Summit, contact Eric Evans at Geminus Corporation at (219) 757-1883 or eric.evans@geminus.org.

New this year, Jones also will speak at a Teen Summit to be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 26, at the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority, 7770 Corrine Drive, Hammond. This event is free and open to the first 100 students who register. Contact Barry Tyler at btyler@legacyfoundationlakeco.org for more information.

The Center for Mentors is an initiative of Legacy Foundation facilitated in partnership with Geminus Prevention Services. Since its founding in 2010, the Center has trained more than 150 people to work with youth through virtual and place-based strategies to promote mentoring in Northwest Indiana.

(MERRILLVILLE, Indiana) – Legacy Foundation, Lake County’s philanthropic partner, has moved to larger office space in the Twin Towers office complex at the intersection of I-65 and U.S. 30 in Merrillville.

Previously Legacy Foundation was located on the third floor of the South Tower. The new space features a multipurpose classroom, more individual offices for staff, and a spacious reception area for guests.

The expansion was necessary to accommodate Legacy Foundation’s growth as a leader in providing philanthropic resources to the Lake County community. The foundation provides grants, manages funds and scholarships, offers development workshops to nonprofit organizations and professional advisors, and partners with community leaders to support projects that solve problems and enhance lives.

Legacy Foundation sponsors annual series of workshops to build and sustain robust organizations serving the community

(MERRILLVILLE, Indiana) – Lake County nonprofit organizations are encouraged to apply now for the Great Lake Award Initiative, an opportunity to build capacity through training, technical assistance and a “Make it Happen” grant opportunity.

Legacy Foundation, Lake County’s Community Foundation, has been sponsoring and organizing this initiative since 2005. To date, more than 50 area nonprofit groups have participated in the program.

“The Great Lake Award Initiative gives leaders of nonprofit organizations of all sizes and with varying missions a unique opportunity to gain hands-on knowledge that they can put to use immediately,” said Cara Spicer, program officer for Legacy Foundation. “This year we are focusing on maximizing organizational strengths and identifying extra capacity in these areas that can support improvement in other areas of the organization.”

Be awarded “Make It Happen” grant dollars of up to $1,000 per organization

Qualify to compete for a 2013 Great Lake Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management

Complete details and the simple application for the program can be found on Legacy Foundation’s Web site, www.legacyfoundationlakeco.org/nonprofits.html. The application deadline is 5 p.m. on March 11. The program begins March 29. The first 20 organizations that submit applications meeting all program requirements will be selected for participation. There is no charge to the organizations to participate. Questions may be directed to Cara Spicer at (219) 736-1880.

Legacy Foundation sponsors presentation by national expert on college admission and financial aid

Families in Lake County have a unique opportunity to learn ways to pay for college by attending a free workshop at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 11, at the Indiana Welcome Center, 7770 Corinne Drive in Hammond.

The workshop will be presented by Dave Murray, president of the National Center for College Costs. Murray is a nationally recognized expert on college admission and financial aid.

Legacy Foundation, Lake County’s Community Foundation, is sponsoring these workshops to make this important program available free of charge to all Lake County students and their families. High-school sophomores, juniors and seniors are encouraged to attend. Students from throughout Lake County have benefited from these workshops over the last seven years.

The 75-minute workshop will answer questions about preparing for the college admissions and financial aid processes. Every family participating will receive a College Costs Estimator, a program that analyzes each family’s unique financial situation to provide strategies and advice that take the fear out of the college cost issue.

“This program can show parents options for financing college that they might not know about otherwise,” said Harry J. Vande Velde III, president and chief executive officer of Legacy Foundation. “We want to help families find ways to make college an attainable goal.”

For more information about the college costs workshop, call Legacy Foundation at (219) 736-1880 or e-mail maerts@legacyfoundationlakeco.org. No registration is required.